Dr. Darlene Viggiano , LMFT

Dr. Darlene Viggiano is a seasoned marriage and family therapist who combines academic research with extensive clinical experience to support individuals, couples, and families facing relationship, trauma, and addiction challenges. She earned a Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology from Saybrook University in 2010 and completed a Master’s degree in Psychology at National University in 1995. Her clinical license dates back to 1999, and she holds the credential LMFT, which stands for Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, indicating specialized training in relational and family systems work.

Over the course of her career she has served as an Intensive Outpatient Program clinician, case manager, and clinical lead supervisor, and she has trained paraprofessionals and students in therapeutic methods for working with abuse, addiction, and related concerns. Her clinical practice has included work with adults molested as children, batterers’ intervention, dual diagnosis, infidelity, and perinatal substance use, along with facilitation of anger management, couples communication, hypnosis, and mindful movement.

She holds certification in clinical hypnosis from the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis and earlier earned certification in the Duluth Model for batterers’ intervention. Dr. Viggiano has presented workshops in Jungian and transpersonal psychology and is the author of two books - Dreams and Dream-like Experiences: Their role in spiritual emergence processes, and Carrying On: A workbook for women who’ve lost a pregnancy. She is a member of the American Society for Clinical Hypnosis and the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists, and has held membership in the Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis and the American Psychological Association Division 30, which recognized her with an Early Career Contribution Award.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care

Dr. Darlene Viggiano draws from attachment-based therapy, client-centered therapy, and cognitive behavioral therapy to guide online work. Attachment-based therapy explores how early relationship patterns shape present-day bonds and helps people and couples build more secure connections and trust. Client-centered therapy focuses on the individual’s experience, offering empathic listening and support so clients can explore values, identity, and life choices at their own pace. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) helps identify and shift unhelpful thoughts and behaviors to reduce anxiety, manage mood, and improve coping skills.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Dr. Viggiano collaborates with each person to clarify goals, assess what resonates, and tailor techniques from these models to meet specific needs and preferences. The result is a flexible, client-informed plan rather than a one-size-fits-all method.

Online sessions via video calls, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging offer flexibility for people balancing work, family, or geographic constraints. These options make it easier to maintain continuity of care, try different session formats, and fit therapy into a busy life while working with licensed professionals and trained therapists who adapt evidence-informed approaches to an online setting.